Africa-Press – Ghana. Ghana’s Key Accountability Institutions (KAI) platform has taken a significant step towards promoting integrity and accountability in governance, with the Speaker of Parliament emphasizing the importance of collective action in fighting corruption.
“We must work diligently to maintain the spirit of collaboration… Our strength is in unity, and we must not play into the hands of those who seek to evade accountability,” Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, said.
Mr Bagbin made the remarks when he met heads of KAI in Parliament House, Accra on Monday to discuss the National Integrity Award Scheme, review the KAI concept, and consider an annual work plan for 2025.
On Saturday, March 29, Speaker Bagbin announced on the Floor of Parliament plans to establish a National Integrity Awards Scheme as a strategic initiative to enhance the ethical conduct of public office holders and promote good governance, transparency, and accountability in Ghana.
The KAI platform, which brings together key institutions such as the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), the Ghana Police Service, the Office of the Special Prosecutor, and the Audit Service, has launched a National Integrity Award Scheme to recognize and promote integrity in public life.
The others are the National Intelligence Bureau, the Financial Intelligence Centre, and the Attorney General’s Department.
According to the Speaker, the scheme aims to drive behavioral change and inspire integrity across the public sector and society at large.
“We are establishing a National Integrity Award Scheme to recognize individuals and institutions that exemplify outstanding integrity, ethical leadership, and accountability in Ghanaian public life,” he said.
The Speaker also highlighted the importance of collaboration and trust among public trust institutions, transparency, and effectiveness in promoting accountability. “Our ability to work together transparently and effectively will determine whether citizens see accountability as a real possibility or an elusive promise,” he added.
The Speaker expressed his commitment to working together with all stakeholders to ensure the success of the initiative.
According to Mr Bagbin, the launch of the National Integrity Award Scheme is seen as a significant step towards promoting integrity and accountability in Ghana and is expected to contribute to the country’s efforts to combat corruption and promote good governance.
He expressed appreciation for the commitment of participating institutions and emphasized the significance of accountability, integrity, and collaboration in governance.
Mr Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, the Clerk to Parliament, emphasized the importance of collective action in promoting accountability and integrity in governance, highlighting the role of the KAI platform in fostering collaboration among institutions.
He said the KAI platform, guided by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), aims to enhance information exchange, promote synergy, and strengthen institutional capacity.
“The National Integrity Award Scheme aims to recognize and promote integrity in public life,” Mr Djietror said.
Dr Joseph Whittal, the Commissioner to CHRAJ and the Convenor, Heads of Key Accountability Institutions in Ghana, emphasized the importance of collaboration and collective action in fighting corruption and promoting accountability in Ghana.
He called on heads of institutions to strengthen their collective effort and demonstrate joint action.
“This meeting highlights the significance of the key accountability institutions forum as a framework for collaboration, with a focus on upholding accountability and democratic values where the expectations of Ghanaians for accountability and results will be met for a united approach to combat corruption and promote integrity in public life,” Dr Whittal said.
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